Prevalence, characteristics, and consequences of verbal and physical violence against healthcare staff in Chinese hospitals during 2010-2020

Abstract

Objectives: This study investigated the characteristics of workplace violence (WPV) against Chinese healthcare staff and their casualties after severe physical violence (PV).

Methods: We scrutinized medical WPV incidents reported online and analyzed information on timing, location, violence, criminal incentives, and casualties following severe PV in China from 2010 to 2020.

Results: WPVs were mostly committed by young and middle-aged male family members of the patients, especially in the emergency department (49.1%), and mostly associated with dissatisfaction with treatment effect (28.9%) in general. High medical costs (62.5%) were the leading cause of verbal violence (VV), whereas men predominantly committed PV (OR = 4.217, 95% CI: 1.439-12.359) owing to dissatisfaction with the healthcare staff's attitude (P < 0.001). The victims were security personnel in most cases (81.1%). Nurses were generally more likely to experience PV (P < 0.05), while doctors were more likely to experience lethal PV (OR = 4.732, 95% CI: 1.42-15.772), which mostly happened in oncology (P < 0.05) and committed by visitors (P < 0.001). Slight injuries and mortality were more likely to be inflicted by being rejected for unreasonable demands and disappointed with the treatment effect (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: Medical WPV has numerous reasons, locations, and diverse victims and offenders. Some severe WPVs have serious consequences. Therefore, it is recommended for the concerned authorities to adopt effective steps for appropriate legislative, security, and conflict-resolution measures.